WO1998027820A1

WO1998027820A1 - Pretzel shaping machine

Info

Publication number: WO1998027820A1
Application number: PCT/EP1997/007071
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gert MÜLLER
Original assignee: Müller, Walter
Priority date: 1996-12-24
Filing date: 1997-12-16
Publication date: 1998-07-02
Also published as: DE19654349A1; DE19654349C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a pretzel shaping machine with a rotary unit (51) which is rotatably driven by a driving motor (50). Several shaping tools (45, 46, 47, 48) of the same type are arranged in a circle on this rotary unit (51). The individual rotation circle areas of the rotation circle are defined cycle stations, namely pre-shaping station (25), looping station (52), folding station (53) and ejection station (54), into which the several shaping tools (45, 46, 47, 48) are moved in succession by controlled rotation of the rotary unit (51) in accordance with the system cycle, and are fixed during the corresponding pretzel shaping steps.

Description

description

Pretzel molding machine

The invention relates to a pretzel molding machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

When forming pretzels, an approximately straight strand of dough is first bent into a U-shape with two legs of equal length. The two ends of the legs are then devoured in one full turn and connected to a region of the middle of the strand of dough to form a finished pretzel. The pretzels are usually made by hand in bakeries. In large bakeries with high pretzel quantities in particular, this requires high personnel costs.

So far, various attempts have been made to automate the pretzel production. From DE-AS 1 151 773 and DE-AS 1 532 330 a pretzel forming device is known, which essentially consists of two folding elements that can be folded about a common axis. An upper folding element each has a dough strand holder on which a correspondingly pre-shaped and cut dough strand rests with its central region. The hanging leg ends are picked up and twisted by a rotating fork. After twisting, a lower folding element folds the twisted ends onto the middle region of the dough strand to form a pretzel shape. With such pretzel shaping devices the output is ready shaped pretzels relatively low, so that a purchase compared to hand looping by experienced personnel is uneconomical. Furthermore, when the ends of the dough are twisted, high tensile forces act on the dough strand, which can tear off as a result. In addition, the dough strand ends in the fork are fixed so that the dough strand ends are not released when the lower folding element is folded back. In practice, such pretzel shaping devices are therefore not used.

Furthermore, an electronically controlled pretzel shaping robot is generally known which grips the two ends of the dough and forms pretzels by means of a controlled pretzel loop movement analogous to the manual pretzel formation. Because of its complex and complicated structure, such a robot has high initial costs with low pretzel output, which results in a very unfavorable price-performance ratio in comparison with the conventional manual pretzel loop method. The purchase of such a robot is therefore uneconomical in practice.

Furthermore, from DE-AS 1 432 965 a pretzel shaping device is known, in which a preformed strand of dough delivered via a conveyor belt is carried along by a driver plate on a movable guide carriage. When the carriage moves back, the dough strand is held back in a U-shape on a projection on a rotating plate. The ends of the legs are intertwined by a full turn of the rotating plate. After devouring, the sled travels over the tangled ends of the dough, grabs them via two grippers and folds them onto the middle of the dough. This structure does not take into account the fact that dough strands of the same length should be used for a good functioning of the pretzel molding machine in order to rule out processing difficulties in the case of dough strands that are too short or too long during the molding process. In addition, this arrangement can only 700 Pretzels are made every hour. This is very little compared to the manual manufacturing method. For a higher, more profitable throughput, it is therefore intended to operate several of these pretzel molding machines side by side. To do this, however, all other equipment used for the pretzel molding machine must also be purchased several times. This is quite expensive and uneconomical, so that this pretzel molding machine has not found its way into practice.

A device for looping pretzels is also known from DE-PS 39 06 310, in which a plurality of plate-shaped molds are arranged one behind the other on a continuously rotating conveyor belt. The conveyor belt and the parts of the molds are coupled by only one drive motor, so that when the conveyor belt runs slowly, the mold movements on the molds are correspondingly slow. The shaping tools, on which the uniformly cut dough strand is arranged in a U-shape, comprise a form plate on which the middle of the dough strand rests and a holding plate on which the leg ends of the dough strand come to rest. The mold plate is only rotatable here and the holding plate can only be folded onto the mold plate. The problem here is that, due to the continuous drive, the straight dough strands can only be fed in while the molding tools are passing, which is technically difficult to achieve. Specifically, it is provided here that the straight strands of dough fall onto the mold plate as the mold runs past and are bent into a U shape via a mold element on the mold plate. Precise pre-deformation is therefore not possible. Likewise, the issue of the finished pretzel is not solved here, since the pretzel only falls undefined when the molds move into the lower position on the conveyor belt, which leads to an undesired deformation of the pretzel which has already been formed. In this linear arrangement with a continuously driven conveyor belt, despite the use of several molding Only a limited amount of finished pretzels can be produced.

A generic pretzel molding machine is known from DE-AS 1 288 532. There a rotary drum continuously driven by a drive motor is described as a rotating unit with a horizontal axis of rotation. Along the inside of the rotary cylinder wall, several similar molding tools are arranged in a circle at intervals. Each molding tool consists of two adjacent molding plates that can be rotated and pivoted relative to one another via a drive. A straight line of dough supplied via a stationary feed station when a molding tool passes by is formed into a pretzel in the course of the turning circle in individual turning circle regions. In a first turning circle area, the dough strand is first bent in a U-shape by a preforming unit around a U-shaped element. Then the dough strand legs lying on a second mold plate are pushed in by an Ω-shaped slide towards the U center of the dough strand. In a second turning circle area, the second mold plate is rotated through 360 °, so that the ends of the dough are twisted in one revolution. Then the second mold plate is pivoted onto the first mold plate in a third turning circle region, so that the tangled ends of the dough strand are connected to the dough strand center region to form a pretzel shape. In the further course of the drum rotation, the finished pretzel is finally dispensed in a fourth turning circle area.

The drive of the molds for mutually rotating and pivoting the mold plates is connected to the continuous drum drive via complex cam and crank connections. In order not to interfere with the molding process due to excessive centrifugal forces, the rotary drum must be driven slowly. This inevitably results in a low output of fully formed pretzels and in contrast to manual pretzel shaping, this is an unfavorable price-performance ratio. For a larger output of fully formed pretzels, several such machines are also intended to be operated side by side, which is uneconomical for the reasons stated above. This pretzel molding machine has therefore not found its way into practice. In addition, dough strands of the same length should be used for the pretzel molding machine to function properly, in order to rule out processing difficulties when the dough strands are too short or too long during the molding process, for which no solution is given here.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a pretzel molding machine which enables a high output of fully formed pretzels, has a simple, compact and maintenance-friendly structure and can be operated economically.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

According to claim 1, the pretzel molding machine is a rotary transfer machine with a vertical system axis, in which the mold plate levels are in the horizontal position in the basic position. The individual turning circle areas of the turning unit are defined cycle stations as preforming station, wrapping station, folding station and ejection station. The plurality of molding tools are successively moved to these cycle stations in accordance with the system cycle by controlled rotation of the rotating unit and fixed during the assigned pretzel molding steps.

This means that each of the several molding tools at each of the cycle stations can carry out the pretzel molding steps provided for this cycle station, the molding tools at the individual cycle stations each being fixed for a specific time and their intended perform moderate work during this period. Thereafter, all the molds are moved simultaneously to the next cycle station, where they are again fixed for the predetermined cycle time for performing the respective work. Problems with the dough strand inputs, as is the case due to the continuous operation in the known pretzel molding machines, do not arise as a result of the dough strand feeding and pre-deformation taking place in the stopped state of the rotary transfer machine in the preforming station. However, clocking as in the pretzel molding machine according to the invention is not possible in the continuously driven pretzel molding machines, since the molding tools are coupled there with the continuous drive, so that the molding tools are not actuated when the drive is switched off. With this design of the pretzel molding machine as a rotary transfer machine, a high pretzel output can also be achieved, for example in the order of 3,000 pieces per hour. This high output with a single pretzel molding machine enables the economical and profitable production of preformed pretzels in comparison to the manual and previous automatic pretzel molding.

In a preferred embodiment according to claim 2, each with the same angular clock movement and favorable geometric arrangement, the turntable is constructed as a turnstile with two crossbars of equal length, lying at right angles to one another, at the ends of which a molding tool is arranged. According to claim 3, the rotating unit is connected to a clocked, controlled drive motor which rotates the rotating unit by one clock station in accordance with a predetermined clock frequency. Furthermore, a separate station motor is arranged at each cycle station, which is clocked in such a way that the respective molding tool defined there is actuated for a predetermined time. These drive decouplings make it possible to drive the individual components in a cost-effective manner, which is easy to control and adapt in terms of control technology. In a compact arrangement which is advantageous in particular for the ejection of the preformed pretzel, the first mold plate is preferably arranged in the region near the system axis and can be folded onto the second mold plate at the folding station about a folding axis. This second mold plate is followed by the second mold plate on the outside of the rotary unit. This second mold plate can be rotated relative to the first mold plate at the looping station about a radially lying axis of rotation and can also be folded around an ejection folding axis at the ejection station. To receive the preformed strand of dough at the preforming station, the first molding plate preferably comprises a raised U-shaped piece, on which the inner area of the middle of the dough strand comes to rest.

According to claim 5 controlled holding clips for gripping, holding and for releasing the pretzel strand ends are attached to the second mold plate. In a preferred embodiment according to claim 6, the retaining clips are spring-biased in the holding position with a locking device. The second mold plate folds at the ejection station with an actuating element of the locking device onto a fixed stop or onto the transport device, whereby the locking device unlocks and the pretzel strand ends are released for ejection without a special retaining clip.

According to claim 7, the feed station of the pretzel molding machine comprises a length measuring and sorting device. The length of the dough strands supplied by the strand-forming machine can thus be examined and, if they are too short or too long, separated out. This ensures the safe functioning of the pretzel molding machine. The length measuring and sorting device comprises a flap channel which is displaceable compared to an arrangement of three length measuring sensors. If a strand of dough falls from the strand forming machine into this flap channel, the flap channel is directed towards a first length measuring sensor postponed until the associated end of the dough strand is grasped by it. The second and third length measuring sensors, which are at a distance from the first length measuring sensor, are spaced apart from one another in such a way that both length measuring sensors respond in the case of a dough strand that is too long and neither of the two length measuring sensors responds if the dough strand is too short. In this case, the dough strands are separated out via a separating flap in the flap channel. If the measured length of dough strand corresponds to a previously determined desired length of dough strand, only the length measuring sensor of the two length measuring sensors lying towards the feed center axis responds, so that a feed flap of the flap trough is opened to pass on the dough strand. This ensures that only dough strands with a precisely defined dough strand length are fed to the individual cycle stations. In particular, processing difficulties in the formation of the pretzel in the course of the individual cycle stations due to the dough strands being too short or too long are thus eliminated.

According to claim 8, the extrusion machine comprises actuating elements which contain controllable servomotors and are connected via a control unit to the length measuring sensors of the length measuring and sorting device. If the dough strands are too short or too long, the control unit automatically changes the distance between the individual strand plates of the strand forming machine in such a way that dough strands with a predetermined length of dough strand are released from the strand forming machine.

According to claim 9, an inclined conveyor belt with cross tunnels for dough strands is arranged between the feed flap and the preforming station. A desired calming of the dough strand rolled into the strand shape is achieved by the conveying time. In a preferred embodiment according to claim 10, the flap trough is V-shaped in cross-section with a V-leg as a separating flap and a V-leg as a feed flap. The V-leg extension of the separating flap preferably comprises a second separating flap, which is actuated and opened when the presence of a dough strand in the flap channel is detected via the length measuring sensors and a further strand of dough is subsequently supplied by the dough strand machine. Depending on the embodiment of the pretzel molding machine, the flap channel is arranged directly above the preforming station or above the inclined conveyor belt.

According to claim 11, the preforming station comprises a controlled lower sliding plate and a correspondingly arranged upper lifting sliding plate, preferably movable over a guide rail. A strand of dough delivered by the feed station is picked up via a raised portion on the lowered, upper lifting and sliding plate and, in cooperation with the lower sliding plate and two stationary form rollers arranged on both sides of the pretzel molding machine, is bent into a U-shape. With the lift and slide plate lowered, driver elements preferably engage in corresponding cutouts in the slide plate. When the two sliding plates transition from the take-over position to the transfer position, the two outer sides of the U-legs are bent towards the U-center by means of a stationary, controllable shaped slide, the ends of the strand being supported on the lifting-sliding plate by strand end supports. All in all, this creates a precise, pre-shaped Ω shape of the dough strand, as required for further processing, and in conjunction with the cycle process. When the sliding plate is pushed back into the take-over position when the lifting sliding plate is raised, a storage belt connected to the sliding plate is stopped by a stationary band brake, so that the preformed strand of dough falls on the mold underneath without impairing the Ω-shape. According to claim 12, the ejection station is assigned a stationary transport device which has a long transport plate with a conveyor belt wrapped around it. At each ejection station, a pre-formed pretzel is thrown onto the conveyor belt by a molding tool and the conveyor plate, together with the conveyor belt, is moved clockwise by one pretzel position. The transport plate is moved back to the end of the transport plate after a shift, the conveyor belt being stopped by means of a stationary belt brake so that it rolls away under the fully formed pretzels and the pretzels on z. B. Baking trays fall. This transport device, which is arranged in the immediate area of the ejection station, is well suited for fast and timed transport of the pretzels that have been formed.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Show it:

1 shows a schematic plan view of a pretzel molding machine designed as a rotary transfer machine,

2 is a schematic side view of a pretzel molding machine,

3 shows a schematic top view of the individual cycle stations and a length measuring and sorting device of the pretzel molding machine,

4 shows a schematic representation of the dough strand length determination by means of the length measuring and sorting device,

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the workflow at the preforming station of the pretzel molding machine, and Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of a mold of the pretzel molding machine.

1 shows a dough mixer 1 with which dough blanks 2 are produced. These dough blanks 2 are fed to a strand forming machine 5 via a collecting container 3 and a conveyor 4. This strand forming machine 5 has two spaced-apart strand plates 6 and 7 (see FIG. 2), through which the individual dough blanks 2 are moved to form a dough strand 8.

A length measuring and sorting device 10 adjoins the front end 9 of the strand forming machine 5 immediately below the strand plate 7 as part of a feed station 12 of a pretzel forming machine designed as a rotary transfer machine. With this length measuring and sorting device 10, the dough strands 8 fed by the strand forming machine 5 are measured for rejection of dough strands that are too short or too long. For this purpose, the length measuring and sorting device 10 has a flap channel 16, which is controlled transversely to the feed direction and is displaceable relative to an arrangement of three length measuring sensors 13, 14 and 15, with a V-shaped cross section, as can be seen in particular from FIGS. 3 and 4 . A first length measuring sensor 13 lies by half a predetermined length of dough strand on one side of the feed center axis 17 and a second and third length measuring sensor 14 and 15 lie by half a length of dough strand on the other side of the feed center axis 17. The second length measuring sensor 14 and the third length measuring sensor 15 are present arranged at a short distance from each other. In FIG. 4, which is exaggerated for reasons of clarity, this corresponds to the distance between L2 and L3.

The strand center axis 18 lies parallel to the feed center axis, both axes being offset from one another by a distance D. The dough strands 8 fed by the strand forming machine 5 fall into the device of the second and third length measuring sensors 14 and 15 shifted flap channel 16, which is located there in its receiving position. The flap channel 16 is moved in the direction of the first length measuring sensor 13 until the associated end of the dough strand 19a is detected by this first length measuring sensor 13. The other end of the dough strand 19b lies in the area of the second and third length measurement sensors 14 and 15. In the case of a too short dough strand 8, identified by L1 in FIG. 4, neither the second length measurement sensor 14 nor the third length measurement sensor 15 responds. If the dough strand 8 is too long, labeled L ₄ in FIG. 4, both the second length measuring sensor 14 and the third length measuring sensor 15 respond. In these two cases, a sorting flap 20 of the flap channel 16 is opened to sort out such unsuitable dough strands that are too short or too long. After this separating flap 20 has been opened, the dough strands 8 to be sorted out fall via a discharge surface 21 to a separating container 22.

If dough strands 8 that are too short or too long occur, actuating motors 24, which are part of what is not shown, are controlled via a control unit 23 connected to the length measuring sensors 14 and 15

Are actuator. This reduces the distance between the strand plates 6 and 7 if the dough strands are too short and increases the distance between the strand plates 6 and 7 if the dough strands are too long.

In the case of a suitable length of dough strand, on the other hand, only the second length measuring sensor 14 responds, whereby a center alignment of the suitable dough strand 8 on the feed center axis 17 is achieved. A feed flap 26 of the flap channel 16 is then opened to pass the dough strand 8 on to a preforming station 25. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 2, the dough strand 8 is transported there by means of an inclined conveyor belt 29 having transverse tunnels 27. In the V-leg extension of the separating flap 20, a second separating flap 28 is also arranged as a safety device, which is actuated and opened when the presence of a dough strand 8 in the flap channel 16 is detected via the length measuring sensors 13, 14 and 15 and a further dough strand 8 is supplied by the strand forming machine 5. This prevents two dough strands 8 from being dispensed simultaneously via the feed flap 26.

As can also be seen from FIG. 2, the inclined conveyor belt 29 conveys the dough strands 8 into a controlled foldable insertion flap 30, which is opened in each case when a likewise controlled lower sliding plate 31 of the preforming station 25 is in a takeover position. The straight dough strand 8 lies in the take-over position with its central region 32 on the lower sliding plate 31 and with its two dough strand ends 18 and 19 on a laterally arranged support plate 33 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). Furthermore, the preforming station 25 comprises an upper lifting and sliding plate 34 arranged above the lower sliding plate 31. Both the lower sliding plate 31 and the upper lifting and sliding plate 34 are above a mold 45 at the preforming station 25 in a sliding direction corresponding to the feed center axis 17 of a transfer position can be moved into a transfer position. The width of the lower sliding plate 31 is surrounded by a circumferential storage belt 35. The upper lifting and sliding plate 34 has a raised U-shaped piece 36 pointing in the direction of the lower sliding plate 31 and a strand end support 37. The lifting and sliding plate 34 is also attached to a slide 39. This carriage 39 can be moved on a guide rail 38 between the transfer position and the transfer position. The lifting and sliding plate 34 further comprises driver elements 40 which engage in corresponding recesses in the lower sliding plate 31, not shown in FIG. 5, in order to be able to move this together with the lifting and sliding plate 34. The lower one U

Sliding plate 31 is guided movably in a sliding plate link 41.

As shown in FIG. 5a, in the take-over position of the lower sliding plate 31, when the transfer sliding position of the lifting-sliding plate 34 is raised, a straight strand of dough 8 lies transversely on the lower sliding plate 31 and the two supporting plates 33 in front of two stationary form rollers 42 arranged on both sides As shown in FIG. 5 b, the lifting and sliding plate 34 is raised, moved into the take-over position and lowered with the U-shaped piece 36 behind the middle of the dough strand 8, the driver elements 40 engaging in the lower sliding plate 31. In the next step, which is shown in FIG. 5c, the lower sliding plate 31 and the lifting sliding plate 34 are moved together with the dough strand 8 into the transfer position. The dough strand 8 lying against the U-shaped piece 36 is moved between the stationary form rollers 42, so that the side region of the dough strand 8 is bent into straight U-legs 43. In this position, two stationary and controllable shaped slides 44 are attached to both outer sides of the U-legs 43, by means of which the straight U-legs 43 are bent towards the center of the U. The strand ends are supported by the strand end support 37 on the lifting and sliding plate 34 in such a way that the preformed Ω shape of the dough strand 8 is produced (cf. FIG. 5d). In the next step, as shown in FIGS. 5e and 5f, the lift / slide plate 34 is first raised, as a result of which the driver elements 40 disengage from the lower slide plate 31, so that the lower slide plate 31 is then pushed back into the takeover position can. The storage belt 35 is stopped by a stationary belt brake, not shown. The preformed dough strand 8 thereby remains on the storage belt 35 in the same position. Due to the compulsory relative movement between the lower sliding plate 31 and the storage belt 35, the storage belt 35 is rolled away under the preformed strand of dough 8, so that it moves onto the the forming tool 45 underneath, indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 5f, falls.

This molding tool 45 is part of a rotating unit 51, which is driven by a clocked controlled drive motor 50 about a vertical system axis 49, of the pretzel molding machine designed as a rotary transfer machine. This turntable 51 is constructed as a turnstile with two crossbars of equal length, lying at right angles to one another (cf. in particular FIGS. 1 and 3). In the illustration in FIG. 3, which represents an arbitrary cycle situation, there is a shaping tool 45 at the ends of these crossbars at a cycle station 25 as a preforming station, a molding tool 46 at a cycle station 52 as a wrapping station, a molding tool 47 at a clock station 53 as a folding station and a molding tool 48 at a clock station 54 as an ejection station. In accordance with the system cycle of the rotary transfer machine, the molding tools 45, 46, 47 and 48 are moved in succession to these individual cycle stations 25, 52, 53 and 54 by controlled rotation of the rotating unit 51 and are fixed during assigned pretzel shaping steps, with a separate, correspondingly clocked control being provided at each of these cycle stations 25, 52, 53 and 54 - The station motor 66, 67, 68, 69 arranged so that each mold 45, 46, 47 and 48 is coupled at the respective cycle station 25, 52, 53 and 54 to the station motor 66, 67, 68, 69 there for tool actuation.

Each of the molds 45, 46, 47 and 48 comprises a first mold plate 61 close to the system axis and a second mold plate 62 adjoining it to the outside of the turning circle 51, which in a basic position lie in a horizontal plane. As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 6, the first mold plate 61 has an upward-facing, raised U-piece 63 for receiving the Ω-shaped dough strand 8. The first mold plate 61 and the second mold plate 62 are relative to one another by one in the The axis of rotation lying on the mold plate level can be rotated and folded about folding axes lying transverse to the axis of rotation. The twisting and folding of the mold plates 61 and 62 takes place via the respective station motors 66, 67, 68, 69 at the individual cycle stations 25, 52, 53 and 54.

While within a bar, cf. 3, the molding tool 45 receives the Ω-shaped pre-shaped dough strand 8 at the preforming station 25 by actuating the station motor 66, the entangling of the ends of the dough takes place simultaneously at the wrapping station 52. For this purpose, as shown in dashed lines in the left part of FIG. 6, a 360 ° rotary movement is transmitted via a drive shaft 64 of the station motor 67 to a pivot 65 of the molding tool 46, the station motor 67 being offset by 90 ° to the station motor 66 on the rotating unit 51 is arranged. This pivot pin 65 is connected directly to the second mold plate 62, so that the second mold plate 62 is rotated through 360 ° in one revolution relative to the first mold plate 61 in order to swallow the ends of the dough. Likewise, the mold 47 at the folding station 53 is driven within this cycle by a further station motor 68, as indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 6. This station motor 68 is arranged at 90 ° to the station motor 67 on the rotary unit 51. Via a drive shaft 70 of the station motor 68, a pivot pin 71 is driven in rotation, which, via a gear arrangement (not shown) and a drive belt device 60, folds the first mold plate 61 about a first folding axis 72, so that the dough strand center area from the first mold plate 61 to the tangled ends of the dough strand on the second

Form plate 62 is folded. At the same time, the mold 48 at the ejection station is driven within this cycle by the station motor 69, which is offset by 90 ° to the station motor 68, as also shown in broken lines in FIG. 6. In this case, a pivot 74 is rotatably driven via a drive shaft 73, which in turn is driven by a gear arrangement (not shown) and a drive belt device 75 second mold plate 62 folds about an ejection fold axis 76, so that the finished pretzel 77 lying upside down on the second mold plate is thrown upward out of the rotating area of the rotating unit 51 onto a stationary transport device 78. In the subsequent cycle, the shaping tools 45, 46, 47 and 48 are then moved further by one cycle station by the drive motor 50.

As is also shown in dashed lines in the illustration in FIG. 6, controlled holding clips 79 for gripping, holding and for releasing the ends of the dough are attached to the second mold plate 62. These holding clips 79 are spring-biased in the holding position with a locking device (not shown). When the second mold plate 62 at the ejection station 54 with an actuating element of the locking device folds onto a stationary stop or onto the transport device 78, the ends of the dough become free again to eject the pretzel Approved.

The transport device 78 comprises a long transport plate (not shown), around which a closed transport belt 80 is wound in the longitudinal direction. Each time a finished pretzel 77 is ejected onto the conveyor belt 80, the conveyor plate is moved clocked together with the conveyor belt 80 by one pretzel place. After moving to the end of the transport plate, the transport plate is pushed back. The conveyor belt is stopped by a stationary belt brake, so that it rolls away under the finished pretzels and the pretzels fall onto baking trays 81 underneath.

Claims

Expectations

1. pretzel molding machine,

with a rotating unit driven by a drive motor about a system axis, on which several similar molding tools are arranged in a circle at intervals,

with a stationary feed station at which a strand of dough produced by a strand molding machine is fed to this mold when a molding tool passes by,

each mold consists of two adjacent mold plates which are rotatably driven relative to one another about an axis of rotation lying in the plane of the mold plates, and one of the mold plates is pivotally driven onto the other mold plate about a folding axis lying transversely to the axis of rotation, wherein

in the case of a molding tool in the area of the feed station, the molding plate planes of the two molding plates are in a common position in a basic position, a first molding plate in the direction of the

Has a raised U-shaped element aligned with the axis of rotation and an approximately rectilinear dough strand is fed with its dough strand middle region on the outside of the U-shaped element,

in the course of the turning circle in a first turning circle area of the turning unit the dough strand ends through a preforming unit around the U- The shaped element is bent in such a way that the dough strand is U-shaped, the ends of the dough strand lie on the second molding plate and the legs of the dough strand are pushed Ω-shaped towards each other towards the U-center by sliders of the preforming unit.

in a second turning circle area, one of the mold plates is rotated through 360 ° about the axis of rotation, so that the ends of the dough are twisted in one turn,

in a third turning circle region, one of the mold plates is pivoted about the folding axis onto the other mold plate, so that the tangled ends of the dough strand are connected to the dough strand center region to form a pretzel shape, and

the finished pretzel is dispensed in a fourth turning circle area,

characterized,

that the pretzel molding machine is a rotary transfer machine with vertical

System axis (49), in which the mold plate planes are in a horizontal plane in the basic position, and

that the individual turning circle areas are defined cycle stations as preforming station (25), looping station (52), folding station (53) and ejection station (54), to which the plurality of molding tools (45, 46, 47, 48) are controlled in succession according to the system cycle Rotation of the rotating unit (51) is moved and fixed during the assigned pretzel shaping steps.

2. Brezenformmaschine according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotating unit (51) is constructed as a turnstile with two equally long, perpendicular to each other crossbar, at the ends of a molding tool (45, 46, 47, 48) is arranged and at each cycle a molding tool (45, 46, 47, 48) each to the preforming station (25)

Loop station (52), the folding station (53) and the ejection station (54) can be moved.

3. Brezenformmaschine according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the rotating unit (51) with a clocked controlled

Drive motor (50) is connected and a separate, clocked controlled station motor (66, 67, 68, 69) is arranged at each cycle station (25, 52, 53, 54), and each molding tool (45, 46, 47, 48) is coupled to the station motor (66, 67, 68, 69) there for tool actuation at a cycle station (25, 52, 53, 54).

4. Brezenformmaschine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in

that the first molding plate (61) lies in a region close to the system axis and the second molding plate (62) is connected to the outside of the rotating unit (51) so as to be rotatable about a radial axis of rotation and is rotated at the wrapping station (52),

that the first molding plate (61) at the folding station (53) can be pivoted about the folding axis (72) onto the second molding plate (62) after its rotation, so that a fully formed pretzel (77) lies on the second molding plate (62), and

that the second mold plate (62) about an ejection folding axis (76) on the

Ejection station (54) is foldable in such a way that it removes the pretzel (77) throws the rotating area of the rotating unit (51) onto a transport device (78).

5. Pretzel molding machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that on the second molding plate (62) controlled holding clips (79) for gripping, holding and for releasing the pretzel strand ends are attached.

6. Brezenformmaschine according to claim 5, characterized in

that the holding clips (79) are spring-biased in the holding position with a locking device,

that the second mold plate (62) at the ejection station (54) with an actuating element of the locking device folds onto a stationary stop or onto the transport device (78), whereby the locking device unlocks and the ends of the pretzel are released.

7. Brezenformmaschine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in

that the feed station (12) comprises a length measuring and sorting device (10) for dough strands (8) fed by the strand forming machine (5) for rejecting dough strands that are too short or too long,

that the length measuring device (10) has a flap channel (16) which is controlled transversely to the feed direction and can be displaced in relation to an arrangement of three length measuring sensors, that a first length measuring sensor (13) lies by half a predetermined length of dough strand on one side of the feed center axis (17) and a second and third spaced-apart length measuring sensor (14, 15) by half a length of dough strand on the other side of the feed center axis (17),

that the strand center axis (18) is parallel to the feed center axis (17) and both axes (17, 18) are offset from one another by a distance (D),

that a dough strand (8) from the strand forming machine (5) falls into the flap channel (16) displaced in the direction of the second and third length measuring sensors (14, 15) in its receiving position,

that the flap channel (16) is moved in the direction of the first length measuring sensor (13) until the associated end of the dough strand (19a) is detected by this first length measuring sensor (13), the other end of the dough strand (19b) in the region of the second and third regions - Genmeßsensors (14, 15), which means that if the dough strand (8) is too short, none of these length measurement sensors (14, 15), and if the dough strand (8) is too long, these two length measurement sensors (14, 15) respond and in these two cases to sort out such unsuitable dough strands (8), a separating flap (20) of the flap channel (16) is opened, and as a result the length measuring sensor lying towards the feed center axis (17) is located in the case of a dough strand (8) of suitable length

(14) of these two length measuring sensors (14, 15) responds and in this case a central alignment of the suitable dough strand (8) on the feed center axis (17) is reached and a feed flap (26) of the flap channel (16) for passing on the dough strand (8) to the preform station (25) is opened.

8. Brezenformmaschine according to claim 7, characterized in

that the strand forming machine (5) has two spaced-apart strand plates (6, 7) through which individual dough quantities (2) are each moved to form a strand of dough (8), the strand plate spacing being adjustable by adjusting elements and the strand plate spacing determines the length of the dough,

that the actuating elements contain controllable servomotors (24), which are connected to the length measuring sensors (14, 15) via a control unit (23) and, when the dough strands (8) are determined to be too short, the strand plate spacing is reduced and the dough strands are too long via the control unit (23) (8) is enlarged.

9. Brezenformmaschine according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterized in that between the feed flap (26) and the preforming station (25) an inclined conveyor belt (29) with transverse points for dough strands (8) is arranged.

10. Brezenformmaschine according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in

that the flap channel (16) is V-shaped in cross section, with a V-leg as a separating flap (20) and a V-leg as a feed flap (26) whose folding axes are at the V-leg ends, the feed flap (26) being above the preforming station (25) or possibly above the inclined conveyor belt (29) is evident and the separating flap (20) above a deflecting surface (21) to a separating container (22) is evident, and λ 4 that a second separating flap (28) is preferably arranged as a safety device in the V-leg extension of the separating flap (20), which is then activated and opened when the presence of a dough strand (13, 14, 15) 8) is detected in the flap channel (16) and a further strand of dough (8) is subsequently supplied by the strand forming machine (5).

11. Brezenformmaschine according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in

that the preforming station (25) has a controlled lower sliding plate (31) and, above it, an upper lifting and sliding plate (34), each with a radial, sliding direction directed towards the system axis from a takeover position into a transfer position above a forming tool (45) standing at the preforming station (25) ) includes

that the lower sliding plate (31) is surrounded by a storage belt (35) which extends around the width of the sliding plate (31) and the upper lifting sliding plate (34) has a raised U pointing towards the lower sliding plate (31) -Form piece (36),

that in the take-over position of the lower sliding plate (31) when the transfer sliding position of the lifting-sliding plate (34) is raised, a straight strand of dough (8) falls transversely onto the lower sliding plate (31) in front of two stationary form rollers (42) arranged on both sides and thus from the strand forming machine (5) or from the feed flap (26) or from the inclined conveyor belt (29),

that the lifting and sliding plate (34) is moved to the transfer position and lowered with the U-shaped piece (36) behind the center of the dough strand (8), that the sliding plate (31) and the lifting sliding plate (34) are moved together with the dough strand (8) into the transfer position, the dough strand (8) resting on the V-shaped piece being moved between the stationary form rollers (42) that the side areas of the dough strand (8) are bent into straight U-legs (43),

that on both outer sides of the U-legs (43) fixed, controllable shaped slide (44) are attached in this position, with which the straight U-legs (43) are bent towards the U-center, the

Strand ends are supported by strand end supports (37) on the lifting and sliding plate (34) in such a way that the preformed Ω shape of the dough strand (8) is produced,

that the lifting and sliding plate (34) is raised, and

that the sliding plate (31) is pushed back into the take-over position, the storage belt (35) being stopped by a stationary band brake, so that the preformed dough strand (8) remains on the storage belt (35) in the same position, but by the Forced relative movement between the sliding plate (31) and the storage belt (35), this is rolled away under the preformed dough strand (8) and the preformed dough strand (8) falls on the mold (45) below.

12. Brezenformmaschine according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in

that the ejection station (54) is assigned a stationary transport device (78), a closed transport belt (80) being wound around a long transport plate in the longitudinal direction thereof, that at the ejection station (54) of a molding tool (45, 46, 47, 48) a finished pretzel (77) is ejected onto the conveyor belt (80) and after each ejection the transport plate is clocked together with the conveyor belt (80) a Brezenplatz is moved further,

that after a shift to the end of the transport plate, the transport plate is pushed back, the transport belt (80) being stopped by a stationary band brake, so that it is rolled away under the fully formed pretzels (77) and the pretzels (77) are conveyed to other transport devices ( 81), e.g. B. Baking trays fall.